Photo: US Presswire
- Troy BallardThe Arizona Cardinals signing free agent quarterback Peyton Manning was a tantalizing idea -- as it would be for almost any NFL team -- but the Cards' moved in another direction, picking up Kevin Kolb's roster bonus, locking him in for the future.
Manning has dominated free agency headlines since being released, and with the Cards' as a possible landing spot, the desert was hotter than usual. The possibility of a Larry Fitzgerald-Manning combo seemed like a perfect sales pitch for the Cards' -- but the team had a change of heart.
Arizona decided to hand Kolb his $7 million roster bonus, effectively keeping him as a member of the Cardinals for the remainder of his five-year contract he signed after being traded. And Kolb may not be Manning, or can he even be compared to him, but the Cards' still made the absolutely correct decision keeping the former Houston star.
At the beginning of last season, Arizona made a blockbuster deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire Kolb, and needless to say, the team thought he was the long-term answer at quarterback. He was a sexy pick-up, and had immense potential, but his fist season donning Cardinal's red wasn't exactly as spectacular as Arizona had hoped for.
In fact, it's about the exact opposite of what the Cardinals front office had in mind when the team traded for Kolb. It was injury, after injury, after injury. It started with a concussion, then a series of small nagging issues, and to make a very long medical explanation short, Kolb ended up missing seven complete games.
Not exactly a choice opening season for the quarterback that is chalked up as the future of the franchise. But, Arizona knew that Kolb was injury prone long before the trade with the Eagles was pushed through. In his first game as a starter in Philadelphia (in fact on the second snap of his starting career), Kolb went down with a concussion.
The Cardinals knew injuries could be a problem. It's part of the game, and Kolb has shown to be slightly vulnerable. It was a red-flag, but Arizona had faith he could still be the future.
And the team still does today.
With limited playing time, Kolb posted middle of the road numbers last season -- 1,955 yards, nine touchdowns, eight interceptions, 81.1 rating -- but he showed the potential for major developments. Barring he can stay healthy in 2012, Kolb has the potential to blow-up the Cards' offense and take it to the next level.
There were plenty of people that were ready to write-off Matt Stafford after he couldn't stay healthy, but last season proved that he was worth the wait. Kolb may not have as a high of a ceiling as Stafford, but he's a perfect fit for Arizona and has the weapons to succeed.
The Cardinals still believe in Kolb, and it's a smart move. The kid is on the brink of greatness. Count it.
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